Twins catcher Joe Mauer, who was limited to 82 games in 2011 because of injuries, rebounded last season to hit .319 with 10 home runs in a career-high 147 games. / Brace Hemmelgarn, US PRESSWIRE

by John Perrotto, Special for USA TODAY

by John Perrotto, Special for USA TODAY

Terry Ryan was quite comfortable in his role as a special assistant with the Minnesota Twins.

Ryan had stepped down after 12 years as the team's general manager late in the 2007 season. He was tired of what had become a 24/7 grind in the era of cellphones, e-mail and the Internet.

It was not what he signed up for in 1994 when he was promoted from vice president of player personnel after Andy MacPhail left to run the Chicago Cubs.

But when the Twins went 63-99 in 2011 following a run of six American League Central titles in nine seasons, owner Jim Pohlad reassigned GM Bill Smith to a scouting role and asked Ryan to be interim GM, at least through the 2012 season.

Even though the Twins improved slightly to 66-96 this year, Pohlad asked Ryan if he wanted to remove the interim from his title. Ryan, whose association began with the Twins when he was their 35th-round draft pick as a pitcher in 1972, couldn't say no.

Now, it's Ryan's charge to return the Twins to respectability.

"I feel we still have a good organization and that we are respected within the game," Ryan says "We've had a couple of tough seasons, but I feel we have the core of a good team in place. The key now is to add some more talent to that core to get us back to where we can contend in the American League Central."

Twins starters were 39-75 this year with a 5.40 ERA. Only Colorado Rockies starters had fewer wins or a higher ERA.

Scott Diamond was the only Twins pitcher to reach double digits in wins, going 12-9 in his rookie season. That makes him the only pitcher in the organization assured of a spot in the rotation next season.

The Twins would like to add at least two starters from the outside and possibly a third. They will try to acquire rotation help through free agency and trades - center fielder Denard Span figures to be their most enticing chip - and also hope some in-house candidates pitch well enough in spring training to make the team. These pitchers include Nick Blackburn, Cole De Vries, Liam Hendriks, Pedro Hernandez, Samuel Deduno, Esmerling Vasquez and P.J. Walters.

Among the free agents the Twins are targeting, according to local news media reports, are right-handers Edwin Jackson, Brandon McCarthy and Anibal Sanchez.

The Twins have had a payroll above or around $100 million at the start of the last two seasons. While he wouldn't divulge what the payroll will be in 2013, Ryan said he will have enough money to bolster the rotation.

"We certainly have a lot to offer, including the fact that Target Field is one of the best pitcher's parks in the league," Ryan said. "The tough part, though, is that there are 29 (other) teams looking for pitching, too. Everybody always wants pitching, so there is going to be a lot of competition."

Ryan feels the rest of his club only needs a few tweaks, and he was particularly encouraged that All-Star catcher Joe Mauer hit .319 with 10 home runs in a career-high 147 games last year after an injury-filled 2011. With six years and $138 million left on his eight-year, $184 million contract, the Twins need production from Mauer.

"I think our lineup is good enough, and I think our bullpen is good enough, too," Ryan said. "It's a matter of improving our starting pitching. If we can do that, then I think we can get this thing turned around quicker than maybe a lot of people think."

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Where the Twins stand at each position

Catcher

If there was a bright spot to the Twins' season, it was that Joe Mauer was healthy enough to play in a career-high 147 games and hit .319 with 10 home runs. He was limited to 82 games and batted .287 with three homers in 2011 when he was beset by injuries and illness. The team kept Mauer fresh by giving him starts at first base and designated hitter while using hard-hitting Ryan Doumit and soft-hitting Drew Butera as backups.

First base

Justin Morneau also proved to be healthy this year as he played in 134 games after being limited to 69 and 81 the previous two seasons because of concussions and other injuries. Morneau is no longer an MVP candidate, but he did hit .267 with 19 homers. Chris Parmelee is a line-drive hitter, but it remains to be seen if he develops enough power to be an everyday first baseman.

Second base

Jamey Carroll will take over as the starter after moving all around the infield last season. The Twins finally soured on inconsistent Alexi Casilla and lost him on a waiver claim to the Baltimore Orioles last month. At 38, Carroll is best suited to play second base.

Third base

Trevor Plouffe was one of the bigger surprises of last season as he hit a career-high 24 home runs. Though Plouffe has the pedigree of a first-round draft pick in 2004, he never hit more than 15 homers in any of his seven minor league seasons, and there is suspicion his production this year was an outlier.

Shortstop

Pedro Florimon got a 43-game trial at the end of last season and hit .219. However, Florimon gets the edge over Brian Dozier going into spring training because he is a better defensive player. Dozier hit .235 in 84 games in his first taste of the major leagues in 2012. Eduardo Escobar and Tommy Field, claimed off waivers from the Colorado Rockies in October, also are possibilities for playing time.

Left field

The Twins signed Josh Willingham to a three-year, $21 million contract as a free agent last offseason, and he proved to be a relative bargain, establishing career highs with 35 home runs and 110 RBI. It was the second consecutive season he had career highs in those categories; he homered 29 times and drove in 98 runs for the Oakland Athletics in 2011.

Center field

Denard Span once looked on his way to being a top-flight leadoff hitter as he had on-base percentages of .387 and .392 in his first two major league seasons in 2008-09. However, he hasn't had a mark better than .342 in the last three seasons and seems most likely to go in a trade for a starting pitcher because the Twins have Ben Revere ready to take over in center field.

Right field

Revere has been forced to the outfield corners because of the presence of Span, but he has more than enough speed to handle center field. Revere has a .278 batting average and 74 stolen bases in 254 major league games but has yet to hit a home run.

Designated hitter

Like Willingham, Doumit was a shrewd free agent signing, setting career highs with 18 home runs and 75 RBI in his first season with the Twins. He was signed to a two-year, $7 million extension during the season. He also provides versatility as he is a catcher by trade and can fill in at the outfield corners.

Starters

Left-hander Scott Diamond had a fine rookie season, going 12-9 with a 3.54 ERA in 27 starts. That not only makes him the Twins' No. 1 starter, at least for the moment, but the only pitcher assured of a spot in the rotation when spring training opens. The Twins want to add at least two starters. Liam Hendriks, 23, has the most potential of the in-house candidates but is 1-10 with a 5.71 ERA through his first 20 starts in the majors. They also have interest in bringing back right-hander Scott Baker, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, despite declining his $9.25 million contract option for next season.

Bullpen

Left-hander Glen Perkins went from key setup man to closer last season, but the Twins feel they still have good depth. Jared Burton developed into a solid eighth-inning pitcher, and Casey Fien showed the potential to work the seventh. The Twins were extremely pleased to claim right-hander Josh Roenicke off the waiver wire from the Rockies last month, and he could also work in high-leverage situations.

Closer

Perkins stepped in when closer Matt Capps injured his shoulder in late June and converted 16 of 20 save opportunities while posting a 2.56 ERA in 70 games. If the Twins need a right-hander in a save situation, they feel confident in calling on Burton, who recorded the first five saves of his career in his first season with Minnesota to go with a 2.18 ERA in 64 games.

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Prospects to watch

3B Miguel Sano: Sano, 19, was chosen prospect of the year by low-Class A Midwest League managers this year after hitting .258 with 28 home runs and 100 RBI in 129 games. Sano has as much power as any player in the minor leagues, though he tends to strike out a lot. He was signed as a shortstop as an amateur free agent from the talent-rich Dominican Republic but has outgrown that position. At 6-3, 240 pounds, he might soon need to move across the diamond to first base.

OF Byron Buxton: Many experts considered Buxton, 18, the best player available in this year's amateur draft. The five-tool talent from Appling County High School in Baxley, Ga., was available to the Twins with the second pick after the Houston Astros drafted Puerto Rican shortstop Carlos Correa. Buxton's best tools are his speed and arm.

OF-DH Oswaldo Arcia: He was the winner of the Sherry Robertson Award in 2012 as the Twins' minor league player of the year after hitting a combined .320 with 17 home runs in 124 games with high-Class A Fort Myers (Fla.) and Class AA New Britain (Conn.). Arcia has power to all fields but is an all-or-nothing hitter with average defense who projects as a designated hitter.

OF Aaron Hicks: The Twins have been patient with their 2008 first-round draft pick, a switch-hitting five-tool player. At 23, he will play at Class AAA Rochester (N.Y.) next season. He has the potential to be a difference-maker with his power and speed.